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Sand Hill Thicket

Tales of stunning sunsets, happy sheep, and peace and quiet on a 10-acre farm in Northeastern Kansas.

Category

Gardening/Farming

Gourds & Bumblebees

They're quite jurassic in size and have set some wee baby gourds already. How did they accomplish this you ask? With the help of bumblebees.

The Day The Bees Came

I had just gotten home (week ago Saturday) and was checking over my garden, picking a few items, and on the way out I noticed - the Swarm! It was a nice size swarm and so we set about trying to encourage them to stay by moving them into the empty hive about 150 feet away.

Pancit (Bihon)

I learned to make pancit from the Chamorro people while we were stationed in Guam. There was always a huge lecture about which noodle to use, and the winner was always rice vermicelli. No one wanted pancit (canton) with thick noodle, it had to be thin!

Chinese Cabbage Harvest

It's chinese cabbage harvest time!

Shearing is Done! Time to Plant!

The shearing is done, the ewes and lambs have been turned out onto spring and summer pasture, and I don't have to feed hay anymore! Yay! If you are interested in fleece, let me know!

Bok Choy Harvest & Kadun Kadu Katne (Chamorro Beef Soup)

We lived on Guam for 3 years before we got out of the U.S. Navy; it was the Husband's second tour on Guam. One of the recipes I instantly loved was Kadun Kadu and everytime I can get my hands on bok choy, I'm almost sure to make it.

Spring Flowers

Just wanted to share some beautiful spring flowers to brighten your day. I soooooo hope we get a few peaches this year! Crossing fingers!

Low Tunnel Update 2

Bok choy is almost ready for harvest!

Low Tunnel Update

Well, you've been asking for an update, so here it is! The low tunnel AKA "COVID-19 victory" garden has been planted. I think that's what I will call my gardens from now on - my COVID-19 (coronavirus) victory gardens. Oh, the suspense (to see if the tunnel yields any produce)!

Starting Veggies & Herbs Indoors – Update!

I deduced that I started with the lights too high up and lowered them within the first or second week. Unfortunately, some of the seedlings ended up a bit leggy. I think they will work out in the end. Anyways, these pics are from February 11.

Building a Low Tunnel

I'm trying out my new pipebender from Johnny's Selected Seeds today. It was fairly easy for me to bend the first hoop. The hoops are made out of 1/2" electrical conduit.

Collards Are Up!

Wow, that only took 3 days! I planted the collards on Monday and they are already up. There are some lettuces that have emerged, too. I will get better pictures of those tomorrow.

Starting Veggies & Herbs Indoors

Well, I'm trying to get a head-start on my garden this year. I am determined not to miss a single season! So, I got some grow lights and I will be performing some experiments by starting my veggies and herbs from seeds indoors.

Unplanted Bulbs

Don't despair; plant those remaining bulbs in pots and put them in the cold garage!

Summer is Fading, Fall is Here!

I have seen my first yellow leaves of fall...  (I think depression is setting in!)  As the weather cools, I am gnawing my nails worrying over the coming winter, thinking about how few cold-weather clothes I even own, and agonizing over how much more hay I need to bring in.  I am feeling this strange sense of impending doom.  I know, really melodramatic, right?  Well, I haven't had fall or winter for nigh on 13 or 14 years.  Give me a break!

PermaNet Tryouts & Weed Whacking

Well, the weeds are growing fast now! Meanwhile, we just got 2 inches of rain, which we desperately needed for the grass as it was down to the quick! It's time for these ewes to do some weed wacking!

Moving: Part I

Did I mention I don't want to go to Kansas?  My onions are growing nicely finally!  Also, my green onions, leeks, and beets.  I won't get to eat any muscadine grapes this year, and it looks like it's going to be a bumper crop!  I feel so interrupted.  

Hedgerows

Recently I've become fascinated by the British and their iconic hedgerows.

It’s Official…

Sandhill Flats Farm is moving: sheep, chickens, horse, cats, and all! The Husband got transferred to NE Kansas. We will start our farm move on or around June 1. It's always an adventure with this guy!

Happy Easter

Harvesting Seeds

Choy sum grows like a weed here in Central Florida. It has won in the contest against kai lan (Chinese broccoli). I will only grow choy sum from now on, especially since I will have a billion seeds!

Winter is Here

The build up of winter storm Grayson froze us good. After four nights of subfreezing all-night temperatures, all the plants are dead, dying, or hybernating. It got down to 25 here.

Brrrr! Baby, It’s Cold Outside…

I am always incredulous when it frosts or freezes here in Florida. It just doesn't seem like it's possible, but it often happens here in Central Florida. Hence, we really have to watch the weather forecast so we are ready for it.

The Lemon Harvest Has Begun…

The lemons are ready! Now comes the incessant juicing and freezing of this liquid gold. Now begins the drooling over lemon meringue pie. Now begins the obsession over lemon bars and cookies. I love my lemon tree.

Everybody Has to Eat

Sad story. I've been out finishing up the mowing of the pastures. We need to force a little more green and even out the hillocks.

Don’t Worry About the Lemons!

If you were worried about the lemons, then let me put you at ease. I was worried Hurricane Irma would pull all the green citrus right off the trees, but here at least, it didn't.

Wild Tomatoes

So, it's getting to be the height of summer now. They say you can't grow tomatoes down here in Central Florida in the summer. Apparently the wild tomatoes didn't get that memo.

Wild Blackberries

Mmmmff, wild blackberry scones...to die for.

Bok Choy + Eggs = Egg Foo Yung

It was time to harvest some bok choy. I think I will grow some bean sprouts so we can make egg foo yung.

First Frost – It’s That Time, Already

Well, we received our first frost already. Actually, we had a frost on Monday AND Tuesday morning. A double whammy.

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